Switch out Butler, use Loktionov as the Elias on the 2nd unit. I don't think Butler has done much to impress since that Pittsburgh game.

i just think our PP has to create more panic they are simply passing the puck between point men back and forth waiting for the right opportunity. They wait and wait for the big one timer and when we finally have that opportunity, if we miss the net or get a save well thats like 40 secondes out of the windows. they need to just send puck to the net for rebounds and creating panic and make the other team run around a little, the other team doesnt have to move at all they just follow the puck to block the passing lane for the point guys and thats it.

actually... thats the problem to me... 5 on 5 and on the PP... the guys always go with the same system trying to do the same thing trying to lead to "that opportunity" but when "that opportunity" happen... if we miss we're fvcked... or if that opportunity never happen were even more fvcked

god they don't do this at all. they shoot the puck all the goddamn time on the PP. get your head out of last year.

cool. the devils' first unit is getting 25 more shot attempts per 60 minutes than they were last year. they shoot it all the time - in fact, it seems like a lot of it is designed to catch defenses and goalies off guard with weirdly timed shots from the point.

cool. the devils' first unit is getting 25 more shot attempts per 60 minutes than they were last year. they shoot it all the time - in fact, it seems like a lot of it is designed to catch defenses and goalies off guard with weirdly timed shots from the point.

A) They didn't have Zidlicky for the majority of last season

B) They've had an inordinate amount of 5-on-3's so far

C) They spend way too much time cycling to their non-shooting side, particualrly Kovy. They have the occasional power play where they don't overcycle and they get nine shots on it, then they have other power plays where they get no shots while trying to cycle Kovy from left to right for no real reason and everyone has to turn around to get into shooting position.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 24 February 2013 - 10:38 PM.

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"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

cool. the devils' first unit is getting 25 more shot attempts per 60 minutes than they were last year. they shoot it all the time - in fact, it seems like a lot of it is designed to catch defenses and goalies off guard with weirdly timed shots from the point.

The negativity is very annoying. If you guys haven't figured out that teams go through slumps during a hockey season, particularly when two top 9 forwards are injured, then I don't know what to tell you. Too many fans looking to bitch and complain about everything, relax and get some perspective.

C) They spend way too much time cycling to their non-shooting side, particualrly Kovy. They have the occasional power play where they don't overcycle and they get nine shots on it, then they have other power plays where they get no shots while trying to cycle Kovy from left to right for no real reason and everyone has to turn around to get into shooting position.

1: Yeah, Zidlicky helps, but not that much. And Zidlicky is way above his career average in shots on goal - they pulled him off Unit 1 because he wasn't shooting, and now he listened.

2: 5 on 3s aren't counted here, I'm just looking at 5 on 4.

3: They are trying to move Kovalchuk off the left point because you can't just set up the one-timer to Kovalchuk and expect it to work. I really like what they are doing in this regard.

works like a charm

It actually does and will. The 2nd unit is a disaster, but the 1st unit is one of the best in the league.

The negativity is very annoying. If you guys haven't figured out that teams go through slumps during a hockey season, particularly when two top 9 forwards are injured, then I don't know what to tell you. Too many fans looking to bitch and complain about everything, relax and get some perspective.

Admittedly it helps you that you didn't see the game Although it really wasn't bad the first thirty minutes or so. They seemed to sag a bit after the PK from hell struck again though.

The problems are mostly correctable from within, the thing is (and someone else made this analogy before) a 2-4-1 slump in a short season is more like a 3-7-2 one in a normal year. They still have a few point cushion because of the start, but another bad week and they could find themselves on the bubble in no time.

This isn't the Sutter Devils the year they couldn't win at all in March but still had like a 10-15 point cushion for the playoffs at the start of it so it wasn't deadly. Even with that they nearly frittered it away in the end but it took 'two' bad months to do that. It wouldn't take nearly that long of a slump to screw things up this year. Especially if you factor in another ill-timed injury or two.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 24 February 2013 - 10:49 PM.

0

"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

C) They spend way too much time cycling to their non-shooting side, particualrly Kovy. They have the occasional power play where they don't overcycle and they get nine shots on it, then they have other power plays where they get no shots while trying to cycle Kovy from left to right for no real reason and everyone has to turn around to get into shooting position.

1: Yeah, Zidlicky helps, but not that much. And Zidlicky is way above his career average in shots on goal - they pulled him off Unit 1 because he wasn't shooting, and now he listened.

2: 5 on 3s aren't counted here, I'm just looking at 5 on 4.

3: They are trying to move Kovalchuk off the left point because you can't just set up the one-timer to Kovalchuk and expect it to work. I really like what they are doing in this regard.

It would be fine in theory except he doesn't distribute well from the right side either, and nobody else really can crank it from the left side half as well. So essentially every time Kovy goes right, they wind up passing the whole PP away. I don't remember one successful 5-on-4 they had with Kovy on the right side.

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"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

I have to agree with Tri. Anyone who is watching the games can clearly notice that EVERYONE is taking numerous shots on the powerplay, and its not just at the points, and it has been much more affective than last year so far. Its obviously not even close to last years pp system. I love this powerplay scheme. Its not one dimensional, and at times it is random which I love. Get the shots then gobble the rebounds, if theres a good pass that can be made, do it.

The negativity is very annoying. If you guys haven't figured out that teams go through slumps during a hockey season, particularly when two top 9 forwards are injured, then I don't know what to tell you. Too many fans looking to bitch and complain about everything, relax and get some perspective.

Admittedly it helps you that you didn't see the game Although it really wasn't bad the first thirty minutes or so. They seemed to sag a bit after the PK from hell struck again though.

The problems are mostly correctable from within, the thing is (and someone else made this analogy before) a 2-4-1 slump in a short season is more like a 3-7-2 one in a normal year. They still have a few point cushion because of the start, but another bad week and they could find themselves on the bubble in no time.

This isn't the Sutter Devils the year they couldn't win at all in March but still had like a 10-15 point cushion for the playoffs at the start of it so it wasn't deadly. Even with that they nearly frittered it away in the end but it took 'two' bad months to do that. It wouldn't take nearly that long of a slump to screw things up this year. Especially if you factor in another ill-timed injury or two.

Yeah, I'm sure it probably helped my blood pressure that I didn't see this one today lol. The PK is troublesome, that's actually something that's bugging me right now. 13 goals on the last 31 opponent power plays? Unacceptable. But I'm trying to cut them some slack knowing the injury situation and the fact that they have shown that when healthy, they can play on a pretty high level. But yeah, they can't afford to keep this up for another week or it could get ugly. Right now it's a slump, so I'm trying not to get too worked up about it. Another week of this though and you may have to make some room for me on the edge of the cliff lol.

Our overall PP number is 14-77 at 18.2%, currently 12th in the league. Take out the 5-8 or whatever it is on the 5-on-3 and it's 9-69 with a one-man advantage, which would rank in the bottom third of the league. Granted, you have to take out everyone else's 5-on-3 goals for a fairer comparison but I don't see any distinguishing of those #'s on NHL.com.

The PP definitely works with 'more' space (5-on-3, 4-on-3), but they need to eventually do better on normal PP's.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 24 February 2013 - 11:09 PM.

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"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

Could it be that a lot of the roster is just out of shape and can't handle the schedule?

could be it... but also, and people will deny it saying we lost Nieds, stevens, rafalski and played half a season without parise and everything... and that we stayed a good team in the past.

But fact is we're missing Parise a lot, not a single fan would want his contract but we're missing what he was bringing. Anyone saying it's no big deal is butt hurt and in complete denial, he was named captain, means he was the leader of the team, the coach called him the heart and soul of the team, he was playing on our PP (always thought he was misused on our PP but was still a solid player on it, was playing on our PK and was a hell to play against, was our best forechecker which is what we're relying on 90% of the game, he was good defensively, he was backchecking like a mad man and he was getting those dirty goals and was making good plays. And he was one of our top player for the shootouts.

Again most will disagree just cause they don't want to admit it but it's true. Zach was the definition of our system and the best overall player and he's gone. Some we're saying Travis production would cover for zach's departure... well so much for that... Clarkson's production is clarkson production... last year we had both. We're plugging players in Zach's role that cant do the job plus we're injured and missing Zubs and Carter who we're also big forecheckers.

The PP isn't that bad. Considering the second unit is utterly awful. They basically are playing a 60 second PP. After that, it's Henrique and whatever he drags over the bench with him. The PP the second unit started was a total abomination.

Our overall PP number is 14-77 at 18.2%, currently 12th in the league. Take out the 5-8 or whatever it is on the 5-on-3 and it's 9-69 with a one-man advantage, which would rank in the bottom third of the league. Granted, you have to take out everyone else's 5-on-3 goals for a fairer comparison but I don't see any distinguishing of those #'s on NHL.com.

The PP definitely works with 'more' space (5-on-3, 4-on-3), but they need to eventually do better on normal PP's.

The Devils are in the middle of the pack in 5 on 4 goals per 60 minutes of power play time. Unfortunately, behindthenet is missing the Ottawa game where the Devils piled up a ton of shots, but they're middle to high in the pack in shots on goal per 60. The shooting percentage is quite low, and I see little reason for that to continue.